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4 March | April 2022
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Contents ON THE COVER: Photo Credit: Patricia Hudson
Serving the Community Coles Crossing
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8 Janet Ryan: Cy-Fair Helping Hands Welcomes New Executive Director 10 Andrea Curran: Making Connections That Make a Difference 14 Best of Cy-Fair: Flour Petal Bakery
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Janet Ryan
PINPOINTE RESIDENT PROFILE
Cy-Fair Helping Hands Executive Director
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y-Fair Helping Hands, a nonprofit organization serving the homeless and hungry in northwest Harris County, has named Janet Ryan as its new Executive Director. Ms. Ryan joined Cy-Fair Helping on February 3, 2022. “We are very pleased to announce this appointment,” reports Kevin Polivka, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cy-Fair Helping Hands. “Janet will bring additional leadership and a breadth of perspective and experience to the organization, along with a deep sense of commitment to our community.” Janet has been involved in the non-profit sector for over 12 years with extensive experience in leadership, strategy, public relations, marketing and communications. She is an accomplished business professional and has served on a number of nonprofit boards and committees, and most recently, as the Director of Development for a local nonprofit, serving families and individuals in financial crisis. Her expertise in management, fundraising, and communications result in the solid growth of nonprofit organizations and their programs. Cy-Fair Helping Hands (CFHH) is implementing a plan of strategic growth. For the past four years, Patricia Hudson, Executive Director of Community Outreach, and Jean Dreyer, Executive Director of Homeless Services, have served as co-leader and will continue to lead their respective teams under the guidance of Ms. Ryan. Ms. Hudson’s and Ms. Dreyer’s passionate dedication to serving the homeless and hungry by improving and expanding services, growing the volunteer base, and increasing the financial capabilities of CFHH during their tenure led the organization to where it is today – poised for additional growth. Cy-Fair Helping Hands is preparing to kick off their Help Build Hope Campaign with the goal of raising 8 March | April 2022
$2.5 million for the acquisition of land and a multipurpose Service Center to increase services to the unprivileged in our community. Ms. Ryan’s contributions to nonprofit governance, strategic planning, and financial management, along with her experience, culture, and drive, make her an ideal fit for Cy-Fair Helping Hands’ future stages of growth. About Cy-Fair Helping Hands Cy-Fair Helping Hands, (CFHH), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded to help the homeless of CyFair become self-sufficient. Since its inception in 2010, CFHH has grown to include a Community Food Pantry, enabling CFHH to serve not only the homeless, but the hungry. Additional programs include provision of Emergency Shelter, scholarships for unprivileged students, a Street Outreach, a Homeless Day Shelter, programs for homeless students, and events and programs during the holidays and at back-to-school time.
Janet with Patricia Hudson, CFHH Director of Community Outreach. Photo by David Postma
Janet reflects on her new position “I’m very much looking forward to our Help Build Hope campaign. Within our community, the needs of the homeless and those who are struggling financially continue to grow and to meet those needs, Cy-Fair Helping Hands needs to grow as well. I am seeing the hope CFHH offers on a daily basis. For example, a young man who has been on the streets for five months was transported for the first time by a CFHH volunteer to our Day Center for a hot lunch, a shower, and a chance to do his laundry. While at the Day Center he met one of the Sheriff's Department Homeless Outreach Teams, (HOT), who learned the young man had applied for a job at a local grocer in an attempt to gain employment and get off of the streets. The HOT representatives then went to the grocer and gave this young man a good reference. For this young man, the day someone from CFHH met him, cared for him, and introduced him to others who care was literally a life-changer. I feel blessed to be a part of this organization.”
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Andrea Curran
PINPOINTE RESIDENT PROFILE
Making Connections That Make a Difference By Patricia Hudson
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hile many may associate the name Curran with the flourishing real estate market, the name has come to mean fostering new community relationships and making a positive impact in Cypress. Utilizing social media through videography and Random Acts of Cypress, Andrea Curran is spotlighting locally owned and operated businesses and nonprofit organizations. Andrea and her husband Ty are our featured Cypress family. Andrea graciously agreed to an interview.
Where did you meet? We met at Mississippi State University when I was a little sister in his fraternity. We have been married for twelve years and moved to Cypress when we got married because we loved the opportunities for our children in Cy Fair ISD. Education? I have a Bachelor of Science from Mississippi State and a Masters of Arts from the University of Alabama. Ty holds a Bachelor of Science from Mississippi State. Our older daughter is also a Mississippi State Bulldog. The sound of cowbells is music to all our ears. Place of employment? I am a real estate broker and founded the Andrea Curran Team with Compass. As a founding Compass agent in Cypress, I was recently added as a founding agent in the newly formed Compass Ranch and Land Division. My team is ranked in the top 1% of the United States by the Wall Street Journal. We recently won an award from the Greater Houston Builders Association. Ty is a chemical engineer and does consulting for oil and gas. His specialty is offshore process. In what Cypress neighborhood do you call home? We have lived in Fairfield since 2009. Our favorite thing about the Fairfield area is the sense of community and the wonderful small businesses that make it unique. Tell us about your children. Emily is a junior at Mississippi State University majoring in dairy and animal science, while planning a doctorate degree in equine reproduction. She is on the equestrian team.
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Leah is a student at Salyards Middle School. She enjoys competitive dance with Fairfield Dance Center. This is
Leah’s fourth year to be in the Fairfield Dance Company competitive team. Brant and Hanna Schomburg round out our family. Brant and Hanna have twin baby girls. They live in Alabama where they spend their time chasing babies who have just learned to walk.
Ty & Emily at a Mississippi State game
Favorite Causes? We love supporting Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue, Child Advocates, and Cy-Hope. Each of these organizations make a real difference. Sharing the needs and events of the non-profits in our Cypress community helps to unite us all.
Leah & Emily with the twins
What do you find are your biggest family challenges? Finding intentional downtime and family time can be challenging with our schedules. With our busy schedules, we have learned to be intentional in planning time together. What are your favorite family activities? Our very favorite thing to do is go to Mississippi State Football games. We also love camping, boating, and fishing. Emily and I love horses and try to ride any chance we get, which is a lot more often for Emily than for me.
Parting Comments Living in the Fairfield area and raising our family here has been the best decision we have ever made. The opportunities for our children, and the relationships we have built mean the world to us. We cannot imagine living anywhere else.
One of our favorite activities through the years has been watching Emily compete in horse shows, ride with a mounted drill team and watch Leah dance. We also love to travel together, especially for anything outdoors like snow skiing, boating, the beach or the mountains. Now that we have babies in the family, watching them grow is amazing for all of us. People would be surprised to know that … People are surprised to learn that we own four dogs and five horses. Through the years, we have at times had as many as 13 animals in our family at one time. Mom and Dad’s hobbies/down time activities? I love outdoor sports and activities, when I have time away from work. Ty loves SEC sports and live music. PinPointe Magazine
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12 March | April 2022
Flour Petal Bakery
The Best of Cy-Fair P L AC E S TO E AT
By Metta Archilla-Ishida
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ourtney Ngoc Nguyen, a 26-year-old certified Cottage Baker, is owner of The Flour Petal Bakery. Growing up in a single parent household, Courtney recalls how heartbreaking it was to see her mom get up every day to go to work to support the family, and then drive herself to Chemo treatments. “I watched how strong she was, day in and day out. Due to the chemo treatments, mom couldn’t sleep and so she would bake all night. I would wake up to the scent of cheesecakes, cookies, and cakes wafting out of the oven,” she recalls. Making carrot raisin salad alongside her mom fueled her love for creating in the kitchen. “One year, we forgot to get the carrots and I threw a fit. Early the next morning, mom and I walked to the grocery store to buy those carrots!” Courtney’s first solo baking memory was at 14 when she baked a birthday cake for her mom. While you could see the mason jars distinctly layered with rainbows of color and topped with sparkler candles, “The taste was just awful.” No matter, this was the catapult that launched Courtney’s love for baking. Courtney’s journey into her successful baking career started in college; too poor to go out to eat with friends, she would cook and invite them over. The positive feedback from friends and family confirmed her talent in the kitchen. Courtney graduated from Baylor University with degrees in Biology and Chemistry and minors in Spanish and Public Health.
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Despite her degrees, Courtney couldn’t find a job. Cottage Baker certificates in hand, she began baking cakes, cake pops, and cookies. Courtney remembers, “This baking income is how we paid for Medical Center parking, food for the week, gas, and the basics, just to get by.” The positive feedback from local baking gigs boosted her confidence. The Flour Petal Bakery was born, and baking became her full-time career. Courtney has grown her company enough to hire an assistant that keeps track of
bookings and scheduling. Courtney plans to embrace this growth over the next few years, and in God’s time, to open her own Flour Petal Bakery storefront in Cypress, Texas. A Flour Petal signature trademark, Courtney adorns her cupcakes and cakes with fresh flowers and hand-crafted embellishments such as gold leafing, macrons, and chocolates. These toppers are truly a work of art. Such beauties are simply too pretty to eat, but one bite, and it’s a heaven’s kiss on your lips. Courtney is a champion of her Cypress Community. In partnership with Velma Perez of Cookie Gram Tx, they have started an organization for bakers in the Cypress and surrounding areas to help other bakers grow under the Cottage Law, to navigate the pitfalls, and provide guidance and constructive direction so that other likeminded bakers can be successful in a tough, laborintensive industry. “We believe that there is enough
business for everyone. We are a foundation that encourages bakers to become the best they can be, living their passion.” The Flour Petal Bakery partners with Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out for C h a r i t y, b e n e f i t t i n g Cy-Fair Helping Hands and Lucky Mutt Rescue, and Two Lives Changed, a ministry for Teen Moms to find resources throughout their pregnancy. The Flour Petal Bakery creates stunning baked treats and cakes for your homes and hearts. This is Courtney’s passion. This is her dream. This is her future. The Flour Petal Bakery (832) 422-6069 theflourpetalbakery.com
Metta Archilla-Ishida is the Founder of Metta’s Local Eats FB Group, #onmettasfork
For more restaurant reviews visit: www.bestofcyfair.com.
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16 March | April 2022
